A woman charged with killing a 2-year-old girl in her bathtub and attempting to fatally drug a 10-year-old boy was ordered held Wednesday without bail.
Kimberly Lucas, 40, of Jupiter, was the longtime partner of the children's biological mother and was considered a second mother to them. Police say she planned to kill both children and then herself on Monday.
Lucas' attorney, Marc Shiner, said his client is "totally lost in shock" and that the rest of the family is searching for answers as to what led to the tragedy.
"They're at a complete loss to try and figure out what happened," he said. "They're all in a state of shock and mourning."
Police said Lucas had a Word document in plain view on a computer on her kitchen table, but they declined to release it. It apparently led them to question the pastor of a church Lucas attended with the 10-year-old on Sunday, in which the sermon focused on Genesis 22, in which Abraham prepares to kill his son Isaac under orders from God, only to be told at the last minute to stop.
Lucas is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
The boy, who was not named by authorities, told police Lucas gave him a pill "to help him grow faster." When his sister wouldn't take the pill, the boy told police Lucas said she'd give her a bath instead.
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Police haven't said what kind of pill it was. The boy said he felt tired and dizzy after taking it and fell asleep. When he awoke, according to police, Lucas was sleeping beside him. He found the bathroom door locked and used a knife to open it, discovering his sister submerged in the bathtub. He pulled her out and attempted CPR before calling 911, police said.
Shiner said Lucas suffered a traumatic head injury last year, had been heavily medicated and was unable to work. He said she worked in the mental health field, though no licensing for her with the State of Florida was found. Lucas and her former partner had been together about 21 years and had celebrated a civil commitment ceremony, but split up in the past year, according to Shiner.
